United States Government Accountability Office
Washington, DC 20548
B-319298
February 16, 2010
The Honorable Carl Levin
Chairman
The Honorable John McCain
Ranking Minority Member
Committee on Armed Services
United States Senate
The Honorable Ike Skelton
Chairman
The Honorable Howard P. “Buck” McKeon
Ranking Minority Member
Committee on Armed Services
House of Representatives
Subject: Department of Defense, Office of the Secretary: Homeowners Assistance
Program—Application Processing
Pursuant to section 801(a)(2)(A) of title 5, United States Code, this is our report on a
major rule promulgated by the Department of Defense (DoD), Office of the
Secretary, entitled “Homeowners Assistance Program—Application Processing”
(RIN: 0790-AI58). We received the rule on January 29, 2010. It was published in the
Federal Register as an interim final rule on September 30, 2009. 74 Fed. Reg. 50,109.
The interim final rule expands the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) to
provide assistance to wounded members of the Armed Forces (30 percent or greater
disability), surviving spouses of fallen warriors, wounded DoD civilian homeowners
reassigned in furtherance of medical treatment or rehabilitation or due to retirement
in connection with their disability, Base Realignment and Closure 2005 impacted
homeowners relocating during the mortgage crisis, and Service member
homeowners undergoing Permanent Change of Station moves during the mortgage
crisis.
The interim final rule, a major rule under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), has
an announced effective date of September 30, 2009. CRA requires a 60-day delay in
the effective date of a major rule from the date of publication in the Federal Register
or receipt of the rule by Congress, whichever is later. 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(3)(A). The
rule was published in the Federal Register on September 30, 2009, but we did not
GAO-10-422R
receive the rule until January 29, 2010. Therefore, the interim final rule does not
have the required 60-day delay in its effective date.
Enclosed is our assessment of DoD’s compliance with the procedural steps required
by section 801(a)(1)(B)(i) through (iv) of title 5 with respect to the rule. Our review
of the procedural steps taken indicates that, with the exception of the effective date,
DoD complied with the applicable requirements.
If you have any questions about this report or wish to contact GAO officials
responsible for the evaluation work relating to the subject matter of the rule, please
contact Shirley A. Jones, Assistant General Counsel, at (202) 512-8156.
signed
Robert J. Cramer
Managing Associate General Counsel
Enclosure
cc: Patricia L. Toppings
OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer
Department of Defense
Page 2 GAO-10-422R
ENCLOSURE
REPORT UNDER 5 U.S.C. § 801(a)(2)(A) ON A MAJOR RULE
ISSUED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE,
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
ENTITLED
"HOMEOWNERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM--
APPLICATION PROCESSING"
(RIN: 0790-AI58)
(i) Cost-benefit analysis
DoD did not prepare a cost-benefit analysis in conjunction with the final rule.
(ii) Agency actions relevant to the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 603-605,
607, and 609
DoD certified that the interim final rule is not subject to the Regulatory Flexibility
Act, because it would not, if promulgated, have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities.
(iii) Agency actions relevant to sections 202-205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act of 1995, 2 U.S.C. §§ 1532-1535
DoD certified that the interim final rule does not contain a federal mandate that may
result in expenditure by state, local, and tribal governments, in aggregate, or by the
private sector, of $100 million or more in any one year. Therefore, DoD did not
prepare an analysis under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
(iv) Other relevant information or requirements under acts and executive orders
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.
DoD published this interim final rule in the Federal Register on September 30, 2009.
74 Fed. Reg. 50,109. DoD accepted comments on the rule through October 30, 2009.
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. §§ 3501-3520
The interim final rule imposes reporting or recordkeeping requirements under the
Paperwork Reduction Act. DoD submitted these requirements to the Office of
Management and Budget for approval under the Act.
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Statutory authorization for the rule
The final rule is authorized by section 1001 of the American Reinvestment and
Recovery Act, Pub. L. 111-5 (2009).
Executive Order No. 12,866 (Regulatory Planning and Review)
The final rule was determined to be economically significant and was reviewed by
the Office of Management and Budget.
Executive Order No. 13,132 (Federalism)
DoD certified that the interim final rule does not have federalism implications,
because it does not have substantial direct effects on the states, the relationship
between the federal government and the states, or on the distribution of power
among the various levels of government.
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